Strife
by JustLikeSmoke
Summary: Alternate Universe: Dark Spector takes measures to prevent his destruction. Resulting in KO-35 losing a few Rangers. Aka KO-35 is a planet of wizards!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Dark Spector takes measures to prevent his destruction. Resulting in KO-35 losing a few Rangers. Aka KO-35 is a planet of wizards!

 **Prologue**

From the pages of A Quick Summary of Eltarians, Humans and their subgroups.

Page 231

Homo-magi aka Warlock

This subgroup of the human population is blessed with preternatural abilities.

These abilities can range between psychic and magical in nature...Many (homo-magi) have left their planet of origin to reside in planetary colonies where they won't have to face persecution from the larger grouping of human.

 **Chapter one**

Dark Spector was burning. Not in the normal magma flowing through his veins way, but in a oh shit I'm dying, please help me way.

Before he was able to start dealing with the pain he woke up.

It wasn't a dream he had but a vision. A death vision.

Dark Spector had had them before, it was one of his more useful abilities now that he was moving into more of a political role in the UAE. He had come close to destruction several times since founding the evil organization only to be saved by a sudden vision in his sleep, a remnant of a banshee ancestor several generations ago.

In his vision other than himself dying of course was two figures standing over his prone figure. Rangers two of them. Red and Yellow.

The one in yellow was missing her helmet. It hadn't been an easy fight for her either she was bruised and had bleeding wounds on her face. She was bending over him. Trying to see if he was still alive he supposed.

Some of the blood from a small but deep looking cut on the girls face dripped onto his chest. Soon after the him in the vision closed his eyes for the last time.

Dark Spector thought over the premonition. Absently he put a black and red hand to his chest and felt it come back wet. He looked at his hand still a bit num from the sudden vision.

It was blood. Blood!

He could trace the DNA to its owner and remove the threat.

It wasn't the first time something had followed him home from a dream. And If he was able to prevent his death, it wouldn't be the last.

Dark Spector made himself smaller and entered the airlock. His larger size was a good way to intimidate his soldiers, his crew and Especially his political allies. the more they were afraid of him the more he could focus on taking over the universe. It was less convenient for doing the menial things the head of an evil alliance had to do.

He walked down the halls of the Phantasm to the labs he used for creating monsters ignoring the Quantrons cowering around him.

The lab wasn't a white sterile room that one would expect when one thought of a lab. There were various magical herbs body parts and gemstones hanging from walls slick with ichor, blood and chemicals. In the corner were a set of state of the art maturation pods stolen from one of Eltars colonized moons.

The scientist/magician who ran everything looked up an he entered his annoyed face turning to one of carful neutrality instantly. "How can I help you sir" he said with what Dark Spector could tell was forced politeness. One of the perks of being feared was you never needed to worry about rudeness from your employees.

"I need this blood analyzed" he said running a cotton swab through the now slowly coagulating blood. The scientist/magician asked what for "identity and location. Hack into the Leagues network. You'll need to. She'll be a ranger. Past present or future I don't know. Human possibly. Or Eltarian. Something among those lines." He waited for a moment before adding "Get to it I want this problem solved now."

Dark Spector knew it would take a few hours to narrow down the young woman's name, and where she lived, so he went to his chambers in the phantasm to look over reports on how his empire was doing. He had thought many years ago when the idea of founding an Evil coalition that the army's he would gain would make it possible for him to take over the rival League of Free Systems within a few months. He didn't know much about rangers then. He especially didn't know the sheer number of them. Roughly one team per inhabited star system.

He had definitely under estimated the leagues defences, he knew. Still his fledgling UAE was slowly dismantling the border colonies. Rangers or no. That was better than anyone had done before.

Previous alliances like the Machine Empire or Lord Zedds Empire had only ever grown to about a dozen systems. Betrayal and infighting would cause them to descend into civil war giving the conquered peoples an opportunity to throw off there oppressors.

One of the things holding back his UAE was he had no one he could trust not to stab him in the back and try to take over. Sure he had people he trusted, but none who had the abilities of a second in command. And. He thought to himself looking at all the work he had to do, take some of the pressure off.

It would have to be someone he could trust. Witch took out all the established villains off his list. Someone young. Someone he could train and groom into the role.

A beeping sound pulled him out of his reverie and he answered distractedly.

"Orling here"

Who the hell is Orling he thought to himself. Carful not to let that show in his voice he responded with grunt to get on with it.

"Karone of KO-35"

"What does she want."

"Your blood sample. It belongs to Karone of KO-35."

"Send me everything you have." He interrupted. A few moments later he heard his electronic reader beep.

KO-35. Population One hundred thirty thousand. Mostly Homo-Magi...

"Warlock" An idea began to swirl in his head.

"Who are you Karone" he said to himself going back to the readout on his would be killer.

Seven years old. Lives with her mother and fraternal twin. In the city of Kayla on the western continent.

Seven. Seven his would be killer was a child. Dark Spector remembered his thoughts earlier about a apprentice. She was young enough that not all the indoctrination had to be artificial. Powerful enough that it wouldn't take much for others to fear her.

It was decided.

Life as she knew it was over for Karone of KO-35

Zhane had finally gone home. It wasn't that she didn't like her brothers best friend, he was just over _all_ the time. Ever since it had been discovered that they were _soul compliments_. A rare connection between two people that allowed them to cast magic together. They had been doing the extra work required when mastering a new power. Which meant Zhane and Andros were ignoring her.

Not that Karone was jealous. No. She just wanted things to go back to the way things were. The three of them against all the worlds.

"Did you know clouds only appear white because they are reflecting the suns rays." Her Brother said behind her. Karone jumped in surprise.

"Why aren't you walking Zhane home?" Andros would often walk to the half way point between there homes, it was odd that he wasn't.

Andros shrugged.

Karone glared

Andros gave a small grin, "He said your bad mood was giving him a headache."

Karone mumbled something unintelligible that sounded like a threat.

Andros raised in hands in a defensive gesture. "Don't blame me he said it. Any way I figured we could do something together"

"What were you thinking?"

Her brother produced something in a red flourish of light. When the sparkles subsided Karone gave an embarrassed groan.

"Is that our old telekinesis ball." She asked trying for a straight face. Her brother nodded.

"Come on, let's go outside."

"What if someone sees."

Andros snorted at that, "since when do you care what people think. What's the worst that could happen."

"Fine" she said snatching the ball from her twin and taking off in a sprint. Her twin smiled before taking off in a run to follow her.

They made there way into a forested area where no one would see them and sat down. Karone focused he thoughts on the ball and it expanded in front of her.

She gave Andros a glance to see if he was ready. He was seated hands in his lap and a worried frown on his lips looking over at the trees.

She pushed the ball at her brother and laughed when it hit him in the head. His attention snapped into place and soon they were playing a type of tug of war game with grins on there faces.

A branch snapped catching Andros' attention. The ball went flying into the trees. Andros didn't notice.

"Andros." Karone called impatiently. He looked over at her as she pointed at the disappearing ball. Andros grinned abashed than ran after the ball.

After he was out of sight Karone stood up and wiped the grass off her tunic before going over to what had distracted her brother.

After a few steps she stopped dead in her tracks shocked by what she saw.

It must of been six foot tall. It was orange with a toothy grin and chains adorning its body. This couldn't be happening. There hadn't been a attack in the history of there planet. They were supposed to be to insignificant for one.

It reached for her laughing, why was it laughing. Karones feet were rooted to the ground like an old tree. Then as the monster picked her up she began to scream. She screamed for her brother. Screamed for him to go get help.

She saw him through the canopy of the trees, running after her. She prayed to anything that would listen that he would not catch up. If he was caught as well how long would it take for the rescue effort to start up. Karone was surprised by how rational she was, she felt as if this was happening to some one else. Like in a holo show.

Karone had teleported many times before, but it hadn't prep aired her for this. Her stomach twisted inside her as she felt like she was being pulled through the eye of a needle. Sick shades of neon green and orange flashed in front of her eyes only relieved by the odd flash of a calming shade of lavender.

When the teleport sequence was over she looked around desperate for a way out. All she saw was a empty room. There was an aura of danger in the room, mixed with despair and fear. The monster that brought her here dragged her into a dark hallway.

The hallway was lined with flickering light. Karone could feel slight vibrations under her feet, reminding her of a near derelict star ship she had been on a few years on a school trip to one of KO-35's defence satellites.

She tried to pull out of the monsters grip using some of the fighting moves she had learned at school. All it got her was a hit to the head.

After a few moments they turned into a room Karone was handcuffed to a wall.

"Let me get a look at you." The monster said. Karone curled in on herself scared to have the attention focused on her. The monster chuckled, an evil sound she didn't want to hear more then once. He pulled her arms away from her face.

"You won't believe the plans He has for you" he told her conspiratorially. The he was obviously important she tried to think of who He could be and if He could be convinced to let her go. Karone was very good at talking. If only she could find the nerve to open her mouth.

It didn't say any thing else and after a few more minutes of watching her he left her alone.

Cold. Chained to a wall.

As time slowly creeped by she held on to herself hoping that if she just held on she would just wake up and it would be her mother holding her.

This part of space was controlled by Eltar and their Power Rangers. Unlike the galaxy he had come to awareness in, it was not dominated by a united front of evil and all recent attempts to expand into this collection of galaxies had been met with resistance and hostilities. From both sides good and evil.

Why couldn't these League villains see that uniting was the only way. Ecliptor wondered idly while King mondo explained how his machine empire didn't need help expanding there great empire but Ecliptor was "a wonder of technology" worthy of joining the Machine empire.

Ecliptor respectfully declined the offer and retreated to his room. He was on board a vessel well equipped with more than enough Quantrons and lasers should these talks turn to a life or death skirmish.

He heard someone call his name and turned eyes hardening a little in annoyance. He had been looking forward to a few hours to himself.

Aldrich the scientist/magician for the mission stood in the hall holding a holographic communicator "you have a call".

Aldrich didn't hang around to hear the conversation but when asked later would tell how Ecliptor had been very disappointing in the negotiations and was being called back to the phantasm for reprogramming. Those rumours would persist as Ecliptor never saw the inside of that vessel again, and he would be held as a warning to its inhabitants for years to come. Don't fail or you'll end up like poor Ecliptor who was once one of dark spectres greatest sentinels now reduced to his base components and probably rebuilt as a lowly Quantron. Aldrich would tell the junior officers on board.

The actual call went much better for Ecliptor who would soon enter the best and most meaningful years on his life.

Karone was strapped into a chair in front of a creature she had always feared. Her planet had stood on the border between two great empires for ten years. The League and The UAE. She had heard her mother and her friends discussing the great armies just out of orbit. The planet being kept out of the UAEs attention by its small population and political invisibility.

She had heard of their fearsome leader and his evil. So now as she sat staring at who she _knew_ was Dark Spector. She knew she would not get out of this intact.

He was talking to a black and green creature who looked at her with a eerie smile on his lips. And her locket in his hand

A device was placed on her head and a laser was burning into her eyes. She tried not to cry out from the pain but the screams escaped her anyway.

As she lay there screaming she tried to picture her family in her head and found she couldn't remember there faces. She realized they were taking away her memory and tried to hang on to who she was. The harder she held on to the few precious memories left the faster she could feel them taken away, and so she found herself looking up at a black and green mechanical man.

"I am Ecliptor" he told her once she was sitting up under her own power. He then answered her unasked question.

"And you are Astronoma" he said handing her a golden locket.

A/N... So I just learned I can't write evil people or young children. :(

I have never heard a theory on why Darkonda took Karone, so I made one. Hope you liked it.

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

AN\ I initially was going to gloss over the plot of this chapter with a sentence or two, with everything implied in later chapters. But when I was self editing I figured it was necessary.

AN\ Some details are probably stolen from Star Hawks magnum opus the "First" series. I don't due this on purpose its just that I've read that thing like six times. It feels more Canon to me than the actual cannon. So Star (or fans of Star hawk) Please consider my borrowing of some of your world building genius as a compliment.

WARNINGS Suicide,

Ten-year-old Andros was remembering.

He was standing at a grave that was not occupied by his sister.

At his side hand in his was Zhane, his best friend and other half of his soul. He was talking trying to reassure Andros. Zhanes gifts were of the mind, Telepathy, Empathy, Aura Reading things like that. He knew instinctively when he was needed. And he was never needed more than when they were here.

Andros wasn't listening he was to caught up in remembering. Zhane knew this but kept at it. He could tell that the sound of his voice was calming. In fact, he was sure it was calming, Zhane was projecting CALM into his voice as hard as he could.

The council had declared her dead a week ago. Told Andros and his mother to give up hope. They couldn't spare the resources Kin-won had said. He had offered to pay for the Funeral costs, and so Karone of KO-35 was the newest addition in the small graveyard.

All the other mourners had gone home. For which Zhane was glad, he wasn't as good at blocking emotions as he felt he should be.

"We should go home" Zhane said softly after a moment of silence. Home being Andros' home. "Everyone should be gone by now" The wake had probably ended hours ago. Andros had gotten his reserved nature from his Mother. She had probably chased people out to be alone. Her tone just a hairs breath from being rude, stern and not showing weaknes.

*We shouldn't have gone to the park alone.* Zhane felt Andros think loudly.

"It's not your fault." Zhane said out loud. He was sympathetic to his friends survivors guilt, hell he had a touch of it himself, even though he had not been in the park that day. Hell he _had_ been at the twins house, not even a half hour before she went missing.

Then Andros asked the question he hated answering. "Do you think she blames me" Zhane didn't ask who she was. His Mother, his only blood family left.

"No." Zhane said simply. Andros nodded once. They both knew he was lying.

Andros had been devastated by his sisters kidnapping but his Mother had been hit worse. Anndiel of KO-35 had come to the planet pregnant thrown out by her Warlock hating family and boyfriend after the DNA on the twins had been tested. She had raised he children alone. She socialized rarely and only had a few close friends to support her.

And yes She blamed her Son for her daughters kidnapping. She was ashamed that she blamed him, and her biggest fear was that he would find out her secret.

But it is difficult to keep secrets from children and so of course he knew.

"I miss you" Andros said softly to the tombstone and slowly turned around pulling Zhane with him.

The walk home was short but Zhane noticed the sun was setting, and the sister planet to KO-35 was in the sky. He sped up. Walking at a brisk place with Andros effortlessly Keeping up. Still when they arrived in the house It was dark and stars were twinkling in the sky.

They went inside. "Wheres mom" Andros asked looking around. Zhanes parents were inside. And so was Tykwa a friend of the family who worked as a combat sorcerer body guard for Kin-won the council leader of KO-35's government.

"She just went up to the bathroom" Said Tykwa gently.

The adults went about making awkward small talk for a few minutes, trying not to give pitying looks to Andros.

Zhane felt Andros remove his hand from his. Andros then went upstairs Zhane got up to follow but at that moment his Father asked him a question.

"I think Ill stay here tonight" he answered.

Then he felt an overwhelming feeling of horror mixed with equal parts rage and sorrow. It was so painful he doubled over and hugged himself.

It took a moment to realize something was wrong upstairs with Andros and not with him in the living room. The realization hit him fast and hard and he was running up the stairs as fast as he could.

Andros was standing in the hall just out side his sisters old room. He had a hand over his mouth like he was trying to hold something in the other was wrapped around himself, to stay contained. tears were streaming down his face and he was swaying back and forth. Zhane called out to him, asking what was wrong. When Andros didn't answer Zhane shook him a little, He could feel the beginnings of shock filling the part of his mind where his connection with his best friend was. He demanded to know what was happening his worry making him almost angry at not being able to help.

Andros lifted up an hand and pointed into Karones Room. Zhane took a step in ignoring his fathers commanding voice telling him to wait for someone. That children shouldnt see this.

It took Zhane a moment to figure out what he was looking mind trying to protect him from somthing he'd never recover from.

Anndiel Was in there. His Auntie Annie was in there. Her neck bent at an unnatural angle. She wasn't breathing.

His mind couldn't protect him any more.

He Knew she was dead.

Somewhere in UAE space on the Phantasm. Astronema was sure she had lost somthing. She checked everything she owned (mostly weapons and clothes) but found nothing missing. Cold and alone she tried to sleep.

The funeral was planned quickly, and Zhane was soon watching his best friends mother join Karones empty casket in the ground.

The service was simple and ended quicker than he'd expected. Soon he was alone with Andros starring at the coffin in the ground.

Zhanes Grandparents had volunteered to let Andros live with them as long as he wanted to. Zhane had hoped they would share a room but his parents had started to set up the guest room saying that they needed they're own space.

The mourners were standing around watching them, Andros in particular, with pity in their eyes. He was ignoring them though, so Zhane tried his best to do the same.

Zhane didn't think his friend would appreciate hearing him talk this time, besides he didn't know what to say anyway, so he stayed silent. He felt tears welling up in his eyes and tried to wipe the tears away with his black shirt sleeve before anyone noticed.

Andros noticed. He put a hand in his friends hand and squeezed smiling sadly.

Zhanes heart soared. It was the first time he had noticed something without prompting in days.

"I was to late" Andros said after a moment.

"To late" He echoed feeling the same

"I promised to bring her back." Andros whispered. "so we could be a family again...so she would look at me again."

Zhane knew better than to ask who he meant, it didn't matter anyway he supposed. Either way it didn't matter.


End file.
